Stofile slams Boxing SA

Updated: April 25, 2010

South Africa’s minister of sport and recreation, Makhenkesi Stofile, has told Boxing SA the organisation should be financially more responsible and independent.

Stofile, speaking at a two-day national boxing convention at Rietvleidam outside Pretoria on Friday, lamented the way Boxing SA used their funds, according to a statement from Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA).

SuperSport reports that the minister urged Boxing SA to strive towards financial independence from the government and to show leadership in resolving conflicts within the sport instead of leaving the responsibility to the courts.

Despite the overall poor state of the sport in South Africa, Stofile praised the boxers, saying they had performed well internationally.

He attributed their performances to good leadership within boxing stables.

Stofile also called for synergy between amateur and professional boxing bodies. He warned against the trend to rush amateurs to the professional level simply because of potential financial benefits.

He urged the boxing sector to stop nominating board members on the basis of relations, thus leaving out people who could better serve the interests of the sport.

Stofile also warned, SRSA said, that it should not be presumed that boxers who had achieved success in the ring would be successful as leaders of boxing structures.